So we made something for the gluten-free friends, what about the vegans? This recipe was inspired by two things: 1. a few years ago BlueBunny Ice Cream put out a coconut cream pie limited edition that was absurdly addictive. Seriously, my dad and I killed a 1/2 gallon in like 2 days. 2. i’ve been intrigued by the thought of avocado as an ice cream base ever since I saw Marcel make Bacon & Avocado ice cream on Top Chef.

Mango Moscato Granita

2 very ripe mangoes OR in a pinch, 1 1/2 cups canned mango nectar (in the ethnic aisle at most big supermarkets)

1 bottle of Moscato wine

Splash of lemon juice and zest of lemon and lime

If using fresh mango, puree until smooth, then mix in lime juice and zest. If your mangoes are underripe or not sweet enough, add a handful of turbinado sugar or a tablespoon of honey. Carefully pour in the sparkling wine and mix gently until well blended. Don’t overmix and definitely don’t try to shortcut by pouring the wine in the blender with the mango; you’ll lose all of that lovely carbonation. Pour into a shallow dish and freeze until solid, preferably overnight. Just before serving, scrape portions with a fork. The ice crystals will break and you’ll get these delicious and very pretty granules begging to be scooped by your favorite spoon.Granita is a quick and easy snack for kids too, they like to do all the scraping. For a kid-friendly (or non-drinker friendly) version, sub out the wine for 1 c water and 1/2 c orange juice.I realize that I deviated almost immediately from the format I outlined in my second ever post, so lets try this again. Let me know if it’s helpful :Color: Bright orangeFlavor: Sweetness of fruit and wine, acid from wine and citrus, depth of flavor as mango puree lingers on the palate.Texture: Icy, granulated, slight graininess from zestMouthfeel: Melts evenly across the tongue, slightly thicker than a juice

Coconut Lime Sorbet

1 can cream of coconut

Juice of 2 limes, zest of 1 lime

2 cups of water

2 cups of water seems like a lot but trust, it’s necessary. I once tried to cut back to 1 cup hoping to get a creamier base but the flavors are just too too intense. It was like someone shoved a whole lime in my mouth and threw coconuts at my head.

Now is usually the part where I would put everything in The Dream Machine (aka my ice cream maker), but I’ve been remiss in not addressing those who don’t own a self-churning machine. When I was a kid my dad made amazing fresh fruit sorbets with just an ice cube tray and a blender. It requires some planning ahead, but is super do-able if you don’t want to buy extra equipment.
Mix all ingredients and pour into ice cube trays or a shallow dish. Freeze overnight or until totally solid. There will be some separation of the juice and the coconut cream, and if you look closely, you’ll notice that there are massive ice crystals. The reason that churned ice cream is so smooth and, y’know, creamy, is that the constant motion keeps ice crystals from forming. Pop your coconut cubes out (or dig out chunks from the dish with a butter knife) and throw into the blender. Blend until smooth then back into the freezer for a couple of hours. You have to work fast – if it melts to liquid before you’re back int the freezer you’ll have to blend all over again.

Color: Milky white with green flecks, slightly translucentFlavor(s): Coconut is most prominent, lime acid will cut through the sweetness as it melts across the palate. Coconut will linger.Texture: Not as heavy as a milk or yogurt base. Slight granulation from the zest.Mouthfeel: coconut cream coats the tongue a bit.

I like to serve these side by side garnished with a slice of orange and a mint leaf. Even in the dead of winter you can close your eyes, take a bite, and feel the sand beneath your feet and the island breeze in your hair.

A word about my Dad. He’s awesome. He’s taught me a lot of things over the years: how to drive, pre-calculus, that you’ll never be bored if you have a book close at hand, and most pertinent to this blog, that good food can nurture the body, heart, soul, and relationships. I love you, Daddy.

My pops, he loves ice cream, and his favorite is peach ice cream. Of course, I can’t do things the easy way, so we spiced things up.